Program Spotlight: Early Childhood Education

May 18, 2020

Program: Early Childhood Education

Instructor: Michelle P. Haskins, M. Ed

Primary Site:

LCO

What makes our college great?

The elders have told us to always remember where we come from as we advance into the future of the 7th generation. With the eventual passage of The Indian Self Determination and Education Act of 1975, and the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, we now determine the direction of our own education.

What does your program have to offer?

The Early Childhood Education Program at LCOOC is of high quality and is uniquely delivered through the lens of the Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe People). An Early Childhood Education Certificate is a great choice if you intend to work as a childcare professional directly upon graduation or want to continue your education in order to become a preschool, kindergarten, or elementary school teacher.

Our associate degree program offers a convenient and affordable way to begin earning the credits required for a degree from a four-year institution. Associate programs require general education coursework in areas like math, communication, and the social sciences. You also have the opportunity to sample education-related subjects like learning theory, classroom management, and the psychology of the developing child. This combination of coursework equips you with the skills needed for entry-level childcare jobs and lays the foundation to earn a bachelor's in education.

The need for high-quality early childhood education has never been greater. Increasingly, children are growing up in families where all available parents are working out of necessity as well as choice. Furthermore, research continues to affirm the short and long-term benefits for children who participate in high-quality early learning programs. We believe that this is eminent, and our Early Childhood Program is key to helping accomplish this collective goal.

What’s the most engaging or fun thing about your class?

Although US federal policies of 1792 describe Indian education as a negotiation with tribes across Turtle Island, all the way into the end of the treaty-making period in1871, formal educational lectures began as early as 1539. Education for Ojibwe Indians began around 1611 when the Black Robes came down the St. Lawrence River in an effort to spread the good word and save souls. Much of Indigenous linguistic and cultural deconstruction derives from these early intents.

These historical provisions were the vision and intent the US government had for the American Indian. After more than four hundred years of strategic attempts to dispossess Indians of tribal lands and civilize Indians, we explore ways teachers can empower our children by using their language and culture as a facet for retaining our identity in order to conserve balance in this ever-changing global context.

What’s new with your program/industry?

The Early Childhood Education hybrid cohort program currently allows students to attend from anywhere in Wisconsin. Utilizing the LMS and Zoom capabilities allows students to attain either, an Early Childhood Education Certificate or an Associate degree while working (Saturday classes). The Certificate program plan is year one of the Associate degree plan, offering a smooth transition should students decide they want to continue their education without having to take additional classes.

Additionally, we have degree transfer agreements with the National American University, UW Whitewater, UW Stout, and Northland College. LCOOC is always planning for expansion further and farther to maximize the collegiate experience for our students and staff.